


Guzmania

by thenerdycorgi



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Post-Game(s), abuse mention, both of those will come later, chubby guzma, sort of a redemption arc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-10-22 18:54:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10703037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenerdycorgi/pseuds/thenerdycorgi
Summary: Guzma begins rebuilding his life after the events of the games. He will train with Hala, meet new pokemon, face down some demons - there are lots of things still in store for ya boi.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The only warnings I can think to put on this are:  
> 1\. I subscribe to the chubby Guzma theory, so he’ll probably be eating a lot and I’ll mention sometimes how soft he is.  
> 2\. I believe his father was physically abusive, so there will also be mentions of that but probably nothing too graphic.

He didn’t know what he was doing there. He wasn’t even sure what he thought he could accomplish. But he didn’t have many options left, so here he was.

Guzma never expected to come back to Melemele Island, much less to find himself standing on the porch of an old friend. But since the incident with Aether Foundation’s president and his order to disband Team Skull, he’d been feeling... lost. The thing that had given him some hope again was Kahuna Hala’s offer to take him back into training.

‘Too bad you chickened out when you got there,’ he thought now.  
Earlier he’d been standing in Iki Town, staring at the old sumo ring, and something like panic crept up on him. He couldn’t speak to Hala, he couldn’t even go knock on his door. So he ran.

A similar feeling washed over him now, standing on another familiar doorstep, hesitating to knock or call out. He didn’t know why his first instinct was to go to Kukui’s place. Maybe because he didn’t have anywhere else to go. But now he felt stupid for coming here. What was he even supposed to say?

He heaved a sigh and glanced behind himself at the beach. The water had calmed and the sky was just starting to darken with sunset.  
He looked back at the trail up the grassy hill toward Route 1 and the path to Iki Town. He saw the entrance to the cave trail to Ten Carat Hill, but like hell was he going in any dark tunnels anytime soon.

“Alright, man up, Guzma,” he growled, pulling himself out of his slouch and to his full height. He balled up one fist and knocked on the front door.  
An excited bark rang out from inside the seaside house; it sounded like a Rockruff puppy. But besides that, Guzma heard footsteps and soon the door was opened.

Whatever he’d planned to say died on his tongue because it was not Kukui who stood before him. Instead a woman with white hair and tan skin had answered the door. She wore a gray tank top, teal skirt and black leggings with a jacket tied around her waist.  
She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t come up with a name. The look on her face seemed to say she was thinking the same about him.

Realization struck her first, because a small smile spread across her face when she said, “Guzma?”  
He blinked, surprised, but answered, “Uh... yeah.”  
“Sorry, I know we haven’t met yet,” she said, “But Kukui’s told me a lot about you.”  
The name suddenly came to him then, and he blurted out, “Oh! Burnet!”  
“That’s right,” she laughed.

He remembered now that Kukui had sent him some photos of the two shortly after they were married. He’d been so excited to have something to talk to Guzma about after about a year of silence on both their parts. This was awhile ago though, not long after certain other incidents, and Guzma never did respond.

“Come on inside,” Burnet said warmly, taking him by the arm and tugging him gently. “Kukui’s at the trainer school today, but he’ll be home in another hour or so if you want to talk with him.”  
“I... um, yeah. Ok,” Guzma agreed and followed her inside.

The Rockruff he’d heard before ran to him and put its paws on his knees, yipping happily.  
“Hey,” he greeted it casually, letting it sniff his hand. It licked his fingers, leaving them wet and sticky before running across the room to join its playmates - a Stufful and Snubbull who were regarding the newcomer curiously.  
“Gross,” Guzma muttered, wiping his hand on his shirt.  
“Aw, he likes you,” Burnet laughed.

While Guzma wandered the living room, inspecting the tv, plopping himself on the couch to watch a pair of Luvdisc in the floor-to-ceiling tank, Burnet talked about some of the research Kukui had been doing here, and some of her own work as well.  
But that ‘dream radar’ stuff went right over Guzma’s head.

Some time later, Rockruff let out another excited bark and ran to the door. Instinctively, Guzma got to his feet, standing expectantly in the middle of the living room.  
“Hey, I’m home,” Kukui called as he entered, patting Rockruff’s head while it bounced around him. Burnet greeted her husband from the kitchen, but Guzma stayed quiet for a moment.  
It was after Kukui set aside a bag he was carrying and ditched his baseball cap that he turned and saw Guzma.

“Hey...” Guzma said, brushing a hand through his stark white hair.  
“Hey,” Kukui replied. “What brought you back- this way.”  
What had he stopped himself from saying? Guzma wondered. ‘Home’? This was _not_ his home. Melemele was the last place he wanted to be, but it was also the only place he could go.

Guzma felt himself reverting to his typical confrontational attitude. He shoved his hands in his pockets and said, “Well, the old man thinks he can still teach me some stuff, like I don’t already know, and I thought I’d humor him for awhile.”  
Kukui smiled. “Hala told me he asked you to come train with him,” he said. “I think he was starting to worry you wouldn’t show up. But I knew you would, yeah.”

His friend’s confidence in him shook Guzma’s arrogant facade for a moment. He spoke a bit softer when he said, “So then... you wanna maybe go with me when I see him? Could be like... a fun ‘I told you so’ moment.”  
“Sure,” Kukui said, laughing.  
“For real?” Guzma silently cursed the relief and excitement in his voice. “Awesome. Ok. This is gonna be-”

 _grrrrrrrrooooooowlllllllll_  
Guzma was interrupted by the sound of his own stomach rumbling. Kukui snickered at him, but Burnet at least was sympathetic.  
“Poor guy,” she said, “You must be starving, huh? How about you stay and have supper with us?”  
Earlier, on the boat ride to Melemele his stomach had been in knots. He wasn’t sure then if it was the waves or just nerves, but now he realized he was pretty hungry.  
“Yeah,” he said sheepishly, “Thanks.”  
Kukui clapped a hand on his shoulder briefly as he walked toward the bedroom.  
“It’s gonna be good to have you back, Guz,” he said.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only warnings I can think to put on this are:  
> 1\. I subscribe to the chubby Guzma theory, so he’ll probably be eating a lot and I’ll mention sometimes how soft he is.  
> 2\. I believe his father was physically abusive, so there will also be mentions of that but probably nothing too graphic.

While Kukui told him about some of the more recent goings-on around Melemele Island, Guzma was shoveling food into his mouth. He hadn’t had a good homecooked meal in a long time, and he wasn’t about to waste the opportunity.  
Burnet made sticky rice, steamed vegetables, and spicy pork curry for dinner, and she made sure Guzma had plenty, encouraging him to eat as much as he wanted. He just as greedily devoured the chocolate cake she served for dessert. 

While Guzma ate, a thought occurred to Kukui and he asked, “Guz, have you got a place to stay while you’re here?”  
Guzma paused for a minute, shrugged, and spoke with his mouth full, “Uh... I dunno. I’ll figure it out though.”  
Kukui hesitated to make any suggestions, knowing how volatile Guzma’s temper could be. In the moment he took to think about this, Burnet said his name.  
“Kukui~”  
It sent a chill up his spine because he knew what he’d see when he looked at her. Sure enough, her voice was sweet but the look she shot at him said, ‘I know you’re not thinking of letting this boy leave here with nowhere else to go..?’

“You could stay in the loft here if you want,” Kukui told his old friend.  
Guzma looked to the ladder and the space just above the kitchen, then between the two of them, saying, “Seriously? You guys don’t mind?”  
“It’s no problem,” Kukui said. “And that way we’re around if you need a Helping Hand with anything, yeah?”  
“I mean, if you want me around that bad,” Guzma sneered, hoping to mask his gratitude.

After finishing supper, Guzma leaned back with a contented groan, rubbing his full belly gently.  
“Aw, man,” he said, “That was so good.”  
“I’m glad you liked everything,” Burnet smiled as she gathered their dishes. “You sure you don’t want some more dessert?”  
“Ugh, no way,” Guzma shook his head, “I’m stuffed.”  
As if to emphasize his point, a large burp escaped the former Skull boss. Kukui scolded him for it, and he mumbled an embarrassed, “My bad...”  
But Burnet ruffled his hair and assured him, “You don’t have to apologize, sweetheart. Where I come from, that’s a compliment.”

As she walked away, the Rockruff appeared and began sniffing under the table for any scraps that may have fallen.  
“Hey, that reminds me,” Guzma said, watching the pup mill about. “I thought your Rockruff evolved a long time ago. Where’d you get this fella?”  
“He just sort of hangs around,” Kukui said, smiling down at the puppy. “Not really mine, or anyone’s, just prefers it here. But, yeah, Lycanroc evolved awhile back.”  
“Do you think... he’d remember Golisopod?” Guzma asked.

“I don’t know,” Kukui said thoughtfully. “He was still a Wimpod the last time they saw each other.”  
“One way to find out,” Guzma said, digging in his pocket for Golisopod’s pokeball. Kukui retrieved Lycanroc’s pokeball as well, and the two released their pokemon.

Lycanroc yawned and shook its fur, sending small rock particles and dust scattering. Golisopod reached its huge, clawed arms high in a stretch before gazing in wonder at its new surroundings.  
It turned its head toward Guzma first, questioning, but seeing that its trainer was relaxed, the pokemon did not sense a threat. It then looked down at Lycanroc, who was sniffing at the giant bug curiously.

Golisopod leaned forward tentatively, reaching its short feelers toward Lycanroc to examine it. The two regarded each other silently for a long moment, and then...  
Golisopod broke out into excited clicking and chittering. Lycanroc barked and barked, crouching down in its ‘play’ position, wagging its tail furiously.  
“Hey, look at that, G,” Guzma said to his partner pokemon. “You already got a friend here.”  
While the pokemon continued to commune in whatever language they shared, Kukui turned to look at Guzma and assured him, “So do you.”  
Guzma felt a smile tug at his mouth but instead he huffed, letting the other man know the sentiment was cheesy and lame and definitely didn’t give him any sort of comfort.

For a couple of hours, the pokemon played together while their trainers watched. Eventually, tired out, the two curled up in a heap on the living room floor and fell asleep.  
At about the same time, Guzma started to feel himself drifting. After a long yawn, Kukui suggested they get him set up in the loft and he agreed.

Burnet climbed up first and Guzma followed. The space was neat and cozy, a futon against the outer wall, a small table and rug, a dresser and bookshelf.  
While Burnet pulled a pillow and blanket from the top of the dresser, Guzma tossed his jacket aside and made himself comfortable on the couch.  
Once he was settled in, Guzma heaved a sigh and closed his silver eyes. This was the first time all day he could finally relax. And before he even knew it, he’d fallen fast asleep.

Kukui climbed the ladder, stopping about halfway to rest his arms at the top, and chuckled at the sight if his friend sprawled across the couch and snoring softly. While Burnet gently brushed the white hair from Guzma’s face, Kukui eyed the jacket on the floor. The Team Skull symbol on the back had been covered by a red X.  
Now that he thought about it, Guzma was also missing his golden chain and skull tattoos. Was he really trying to erase the criminal team’s existence?

“He’ll be fine,” Burnet said softly, glancing at her husband with a knowing look. “You’re worried he’ll cause trouble, but he won’t.”  
“Oh? When did you develop Future Sight?” Kukui asked her, smiling as well.  
As they quietly climbed back down, Burnet remarked that she’d dealt with his type before.  
“Just wait and see,” she said confidently, “A full tummy and a good night’s sleep are gonna do him a world of good.”  
Kukui knew better by now than to doubt his wife’s intuition.

When Guzma woke up, sunlight was streaming through the window above the bed. It was mid-morning by then and he could hear one of the professors already awake downstairs.  
He was reluctant to leave the soft indent he’d nuzzled into the pillow. But after untangling himself from the blanket, Guzma sat up, stretched, and crawled out of bed. He climbed down the ladder, rubbing at his eyes when he reached the living room floor below.

Burnet was up and providing breakfast for the pokemon. The Rockruff danced in excited circles while awaiting its food. When she saw Guzma scratching at his tussled hair, she smiled.  
“Hey, sleepyhead,” she greeted him. Still groggy, he responded with a yawn.  
“Kukui’s working in the basement right now,” the woman informed him, “But he can go with you to see Hala whenever you’re ready.”  
Guzma started to speak but suddenly couldn’t find his voice. What was he supposed to say to the old man, anyway?

“First, let’s get you cleaned up,” Burnet interrupted his thoughts, approaching from across the room. “What do you say?”  
Guzma looked down at himself, at his clothes all wrinkled after he’d slept in them; he knew his hair must look like a Cutiefly’s nest and he could feel about a week’s worth of grime on his skin.  
He nodded, and she led him around the corner and to the bathroom.

The space doubled as a laundry room, and Burnet told him to leave his clothes with the pile she’d gathered to do that day.  
“You can borrow something of Kukui’s in the meantime,” she said. Before he could object, she disappeared into the couple’s bedroom and returned with a T-shirt and sweatpants.  
“Didn’t think he ever bothered wearin’ these,” Guzma smirked and held up the shirt.  
Burnet chuckled. “Well, you’ll get some use out of it at least,” she said.

The door closed behind Burnet when she left, and Guzma pulled his shirt off over his head. He glanced around the room a bit, starting to feel more awake, but finally turned on the water, stripped down, and stepped into the shower.  
He was not expecting the water to be scalding. It took his breath away for a minute, after which he gratefully leaned into the stream. Back in Po Town, the water rarely got above lukewarm, if that, so this was a welcome change for Guzma.  
He gave an approving hum, a deep sound in his throat, letting the water pour over his head and body. The heat quickly turned his pale skin a soft shade of red. He scrubbed every part of himself he could successfully get at, feeling his mood lift a bit as the dirt was rinsed down the drain. He washed his hair twice - one minute it would be fluffy and filled with shampoo and the next it was slicked back against his scalp.

When he couldn’t justify staying in the shower any longer, Guzma turned the water off, stepped out, and grabbed a towel from a small shelf near the washer. He quickly dried off and tugged on the set of Kukui’s clothes he’d been loaned. He continued to vigorously rub the towel in his hair even as he left the bathroom.  
Kukui was upstairs now and called a ‘good morning’ to his friend when he saw him. Guzma made a noncommittal noise in return, finally tossing the towel back into the laundry area and running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to smooth it a bit.

He joined the two at the kitchen counter, still pulling at the bottom of the borrowed shirt. He was a few inches taller than Kukui, after all, and between the waistband of the sweats and the hem of the t-shirt, a sliver of his stomach was visible.  
“Dammit,” he mumbled.  
“Well, it’ll do for now,” Burnet assured him.  
“Ready to go?” Kukui asked.  
Guzma grinned and nodded, “Yup.”  
Cleaning up left him feeling energized, and some of his confidence was returning. He was eager to show Hala what he could do. The old man was gonna wish he’d asked Guzma to come back a lot sooner.  
He had already gathered his pokeballs and was waiting by the door before Kukui could say, “Oh, yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have trouble figuring out what to capitalize, seeing as 'Pokemon' is not a brand or franchise in their world. So for now, pokemon, pokeballs, that sort of thing are lowercase but the pokemon's actual names/species will be capitalized.


End file.
